Package or container



June 16, 1942. R. w

PACKAGE ORCON'IAINER Filed Nov. 2, 195a INVENTOR ATTORNEYS l GEEJLD A;THE/4K Patented June 16, 1942 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKAGE RCONTAINER v Gerald R. Thew, Lagrangeville, N. Y. Application November 2,1938, Serial No. 238,338

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in packages orcontainers and more particularly it pertains to such devices especiallyadapted for packing apples orthe like, although it is to be understoodthat it may be employed for packing any articles which it may be desiredto pack. I

It is one object of the invention to provide package or container whichwill be cheap of manufacture and yet will serve the purpose for which itis intended.

It is another object of the invention so to construct the device that itwill be simple of operation and manipulation.

Still another object of the invention is to pro vide a device which isconstructed from a single piece of material and which, before it isset-up for use, is capable of storing, shipping or otherwise handling ina fiat form.

Still another object of the invention resides in a new and novelconstruction whereby, although the device is constructed from a singleblank or piece of material, it is capable of use with articles ofvarious sizes, of course within limitations.

Still another object of the invention resides in a novel constructionwhereby regardless of the size of the articles packed in the containeror package thorough and complete ventilation of the articles within thepackage or container is had, thus rendering the device particularlyadaptable to the storage and transportation of perishable commoditiessuch as fruit and the like.

Still a further object of the invention resides in a novel constructionwhereby the articles within the package or container will be adequatelydisplayed.

Devices such as disclosed in the application are often arranged instacked relation and it is still a further object of the invention so toconstruct the device that when a plurality of such packages are stackedupon one another, there will be provided a cushion between two adjacentpackages which will serve to protect the articles contained in the underpackage.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the naturethereof is better understood and reference will now be had to thefollowing specification and claims and the accompanying drawing,wherein,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a package or container constructed inaccordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation thereof,

2 Figure 3 is a plan view of one form of blank from which the device maybe constructed, and;

Figure 4 is adetail sectional view on an enlarged scale takensubstantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

' 'A'device constructed in accordance with the present'invention.particularly lends itself to the packing of apples and will hereinafterbe referred to as such a device although it is to be understood that itis not to be limited to such use and that it may be employed with othercommodities or articles as well.

The container is preferably formed from a single blank of bendable orfoldable material of which, cardboard, paper or the like are very goodexamples.

One formof blank from which the container has been actually formed, isillustrated in Figure 3 of the drawing, the blank comprising a mainbodyporti'on' l0 which, in 'this'form of the invention is of rectangularform.

The body portion I0 is of relatively thin rectangular form and isdefined in the blank by crease or score lines I l which extend throughthe blank in the manner illustrated in Figure 3.

Projecting from each edge of the body portion of the blank, there is awing extension l2 and inasmuch as each of these wing extensions I2 is ofthe same construction, the description of one will sufiice for each.

The side edges I3 of each wing extension l2 converge towards each otherfrom their respective score line H, to points designated [4 on thedrawing, from which points, the side edges l3 flare outwardly asdesignated at l5.

Extending transversely of each of said wing extensions l2, there is aplurality of score lines l6, l1, l8 and I9 which divides each wingextension into panels 20, 2|, 22, 23 and 24.

In forming the package or container from a blank such as illustrated anddescribed, theblank is folded upon the several score lines II toposition the wing extensions in upstanding or substantially rightangular relation to the body portion ID.

The wing extensions are each folded upon their respective score linesl6, ll, l8 and I9 and when this has been done, the panels 20 formvertical walls, the two panels 2| and 22 forming an angular, inwardlyextending wall which overlies the main body portion in spaced relationthereto, while the panel 24 forms a reversely bent portion underlyingthe angular, inwardly extending wall, all as illustrated in Figure 4 ofthe drawing. The reverse bending of the panel 24 provides a pocket orthe like to the rear of the panel 23 for the reception of means forholding the wing extensions in their folded position, which meanspreferably consists of a continuous elastic band such as 30 in theaccompanying drawing.

In addition to providing a pocket for the reception of the securingmeans 30, the reversely folded panels 24 provide a cushion for theprotection of the contents of the packages or containers when they arestacked one upon another as might happen when placed in storage.

The converging angular side edges I3 of the wing extensions reduce thewidth thereof as best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawing and thisconstruction provides, when the wing extensions are folded upon theirseveral score or crease lines in the manner heretofore described,openings or spaces such as designated 32', at the corners of thepackage. These spaces or openings provide for free circulation of airthrough the sides of a package or container, .particularly when they arestacked upon one another in storage.

The continuous elastic band 30 serves to retain the wing extensions intheir infolded position so that the panels 20 provide upstanding wallswhich serve to confine the articles within the package or container withthe reversely folded panels 24 providing cushions for the said articles.In addition, the securing means being of an elastic character, itpermits of yielding of the side walls about their respective crease orscore lines I I, thus rendering the package or container both expansibleand contractible within certain limits preferred form, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific formand construction herein illustrated and that it may be practiced in suchother forms as rightfully fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1. A box of the type described comprising a bottom wall, a plurality ofindependent side walls hingedly connected to the bottom wall, each ofsaid side walls having angular side edges converging in the direction ofits outer end, each of said side walls being folded transversely thereofto provide an inwardly extending portion overlying the bottom wall ofthe box, an outwardly and downwardly extending free end and anintervening channel, the channels of the several side walls forming asubstantially continuous peripheral channel when the side walls are inbox forming position, and a contracting elastic member extendingthroughout said peripheral channel and serving to retain the side wallsyieldingly in box forming position.

2. A .box of the type described comprising a bottom wall and a pluralityof side walls hingedly connected thereto, each of said side walls havingan upright portion, an inwardly extending portion and a downwardly andoutwardly extending free end when the walls are in their box formingposition, the downwardly and outwardly extending free ends forming aperipherally extending channel, and a contracting elastic memberextending throughout the peripheral channel to retain the side wallsyieldingly in their box forming positions, the side edges of each of theside walls converging in the direction of the free end to provideventilating openings and to permit of independent movement of the sidewalls when in their box forming positions.

GERALD R. THEW.

